[Miscellaneous]

A long way from all electric, but I'd suggest a significant step even if they don't make the promised dates.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40505671

[akg1486]

Geely is clearly a better owner for Volvo Cars than Ford was. They have a lot of visions. That's good news for my town; I hope it works out.

[Rob P]

Good news for the antique dealing community then

Rob P

[akg1486]

Good news for the antique dealing community then

Rob P

Nobody knows the actual life span of a Volvo B18 (or B20) engine from the 60s/70s. We may well see Volvo Amazons on the road when they are true antiques (100+ years).
/Peter

[johnm]

I was more than a bit surprised to find that my neighbour's hybrid 4*4 does exactly the same MPG as my gas guzzling Subaru Outback i.e. 32.5. So for moment I'm in "What's the point of the added complexity?" mode.

[Flyin'Dutch']

I was more than a bit surprised to find that my neighbour's hybrid 4*4 does exactly the same MPG as my gas guzzling Subaru Outback i.e. 32.5. So for moment I'm in "What's the point of the added complexity?" mode.

In my view, none, and hybrids are soma for the people.

All electric, I think, is a great step forward

[riverrock]

Is that book value our actual use? Hybrids are good for in city start stop driving but as much of the book value mpg is on open roads, it will be using the IC engine. So hybrids should reduce city pollution.
Me - I just think there is more to go wrong...

[johnm]

Is that book value our actual use? Hybrids are good for in city start stop driving but as much of the book value mpg is on open roads, it will be using the IC engine. So hybrids should reduce city pollution.
Me - I just think there is more to go wrong...

Actual use, the hydrid does fewer long journeys than mine typically

[Miscellaneous]

Actual use, the hydrid does fewer long journeys than mine typically

There's the explanation, if you were doing short trips…

Another with the view the added complexity doesn't come close to providing sufficient benefit.

[stevelup]

My hybrid which I'm picking up next week will save me £many hundreds per month in company car tax. It's the best part of two seconds quicker to 60 than the already nippy diesel it replaces. So for me, it's perfect.

I'm afraid that although fact that it is zero emission whilst pootling around town is great, it's very much a secondary benefit to me!

Complexity? Don't care - I'll have got rid of it before the warranty runs out.

Had fun in this today...

[eltonioni]

I'll be keeping my 550hp of German V8 twin turbo thanks, and I'll be eating my words in 5 years too.

This electric revolution is quite exciting.

[Miscellaneous]

I have no idea the worldwide demand for hybrid and electric cars, but can't help but think the business decision is risky. It would be interesting to know if the demand is already there to match 100% of Volvo production, or the element of risk associated with projected demand.

[Jim Jones]

Then hydrogen comes up on the rails, just besting electric autonomous vehicles that are on the road 24/7, not parked up 90% of the time. Nothing like your own space, with your own germs and music...

[Colonel Panic]

Not sure the Volvo statement is all that it first seems though; all new models from 2019 could well be just that - "new" models (and not facelift existing ones), and IIRC Volvo's new model history has been glacial in the past. And even then, many of them will be hybrid anyway.

Marketing blah designed to grab acres of column inches just before the French make a similar pledge?

[riverrock]

I hear France are planning to ban the sale of fossil fuel vehicles by 2040 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40518293
So the market is appearing.